Demon Dynasty

Is that Spargos first kick?

Also the mids are getting pantsed. I count maybe one or two clearances for the whole night. I would have moved Kozzie on to Daniels to start the second. Bring Macca up the ground and clear some space behind. Manic pressure and attack on the ball missing. The Dogs want it more so far. And why is Max constantly smashing the ball forward straight into the hands of the Doggy's defensive sweeper? Just dumb footy. Put Max on the bench, Dogga into the middle. Macca plays higher and Kozzie into the middle. Scrap that stupid zone in our front half....it's a MAJOR fail and the difference between us winning and losing far too often.

Our dump kicks to no one in particular. And Gawn looking to kick after he gathers possession almost always instead of the handball to someone in the clear. The other issue is pressure. Once it goes into our forward half its too loose. A zone in these conditions in our front half just plays into their hands and gives them the time they need to connect and transition relatively easily....then launch i50. This last part is on SG.

Kozzie

Should have gone short or to the top of the square. Our weakest links so far.... ANB, Gus, Dogga & BB

Worth putting Kozzie to play a run with on Daniels? He's running hot and setting up so many plays as per usual. Ideal conditions for him but Kozzie might be able to kurb the damage

One of the worst openings to an Olympics ever!! I didn't know Beatlejuice was hired as a choreographer! Back to the footy

Leave Abbey alone BBP!

Why not! Can't stand Port and would love to see them miss the double chance / home finals. Hec I'd love to see them miss all together. That song pre match and Kochy always predicting they are on for the premiership every season ?

If we are ever forced into using either of those in that role for an extended period you can kiss season 2021 goodbye TU

Yes he had one very good game since going back BDA. That was in a non-rucking utility role between the arcs and pushing forward a little. Played a VG game alongside AVB and Melk with Chunk easily BOG in that match but unfortunately incurred the calf issue at some point. Pretty sure Chunk would've got the call up before AVB had he not been injured. Dogga might be doing similar but he does make a decent ruck fill in for Max when resting. Super mobile on the ground and almost like having an extra mid. A little like Hogan when he played in the HHF role in 2018, albeit i don't think he ever rucked at all. However, Dogga's form has slowly ebbed away these past three or four weeks. I'm not sure the Weid is much chop in the ruck either. I'm also still not convinced he's able to take things to the next level and bring what he did that day in the VFL to the seniors. Having said that though i still think there might be a place for him across HB if an injury occurs to say Petty (Lucifer forbid). But even then Smith would be well ahead for that role at this stage i'm guessing Present line up well settled now though and going to be VERY difficult for anyone to force their way in other than if we incur an injury. Hopefully zero of those. But also no VFL now has made it almost impossible, outside of injury, for alternatives to show off any form they might have and force their way in. Yes, there is always the ability to train the house down but i'm not sure that holds as much sway with the selectors on its own without a Casey run. I'm also still not convinced that our depth bats very deep. A few injuries (touch wood) and i think we might struggle to fill a gap or two. Based on form in the last few VFL games the only genuine "filler" candidates that IMV the selectors might consider in order are (to various degrees and depending on the role needing to be filled and their fitness status)... Chunk & AVB; then Sparrow, Melk, Lockhart & Smith; then Weid One player i would love to see get a run, but very much doubt he will at this late stage and unlikely to be ready for the step up right now anyway is Declase. The other is Rosman but again way too early me thinks. Will more than likely get some looks at both in 2022.

There's not really any obvious replacement banging the door down though Dazzle? Especially given there's no door to bang down thanks to the VFL not bringing in the big $$ and getting the chop courtesy of Gil & Co.

This is the way

Viney to Libba. Harmes takes the Bont.

Probably not their final line up. Expect a late change or two.

Don't mind this also ? The other option is to add an extra or even two at stoppages between the square and lateral of it. Very much on the outside looking for the receive with say one free and another covering any +1 if the opp are using. Otherwise two are free. One covers the defensive sweeper role to prevent opp mids from running straight out of stoppage towards goal and/or to try and get on the end of an opp dump kicking / handballing under pressure in panic (or as part of their game style a la the Tigers / Cats) and another on the fat side outer ring looking for the receive to run it through the middle & directly inside 50 opening up the entire ground for leading forwards. Fat side extra can also cover that outlet where teams like the Hawks and Tigers love to handball / short kick to into the fat side if we don't win the clearance. Leave at least two forwards playing a kick or thereabouts behind (this might be the square or near it depending on where the stoppage is but also higher as they follow each stoppage up the field) and the remaining two about half a kick from stoppage looking for the dump kick under pressure.

Thought it was dump as well

Try inner east / south east....there's a few living down Brighton / Middle Park way

The bleach might be effecting more than his hair

Hey PF.. .. I'm lovin' your new wheels mate!...

Adding this into the last post also. So if it's more inbuilt and cant be fixed through experience then personnel changes might work. Melk & Chunk maybe? I'm thinking those two for ANB & AVB?

Thinking about the above and in terms of the red mist vs poise and calm in a storm lacking through the middle....does this enhance the case for a return of Chunk (once fully fit) in place of someone like ANB or AVB??

With the talk of (just a few examples)... Hunt missing an opportunity to pull up and go lateral following his run through the middle on Sat evening Lever also ignoring / not seeing an option or two out wide to his left with a few minutes to go and maintain possession / try to ice the clock but instead taking the safe, but IMHO, incorrect down the line bail out which then turned over and came straight back for a goal. Tracc continually mucking so many entries and opportunities coming inside 50 and burning team mates / the team so often Viney, while i didn't pay much attention on Sat evening, appeared to have a couple of clean exits from center / stoppages and had opportunities to hit up players inside 50 or at least kick to their favoured side but failed badly; and Lingers constantly bombing to the hot zone without seemingly being aware or capable of hitting up anyone loose i50 or kicking to their favoured side very often or at best on rare occasions... I figured it was appropriate to re visit this analysis from a much more learned scribe in Gazza. While i've no doubt many players from other teams also suffer in this regard, especially when placed under serious pressure, is this yet again becoming an issue for some (or too many) Demons? When i re-read this analysis it still has some eerily similar examples to what we are seeing of late. Our ability to assess and select the correct play ie; slow (possession/momentum/icing the clock) vs go quick option, go lateral vs down the line from HB (Lever), take the shot from 45/50 instead of trying to thread the needle (Tracc) or taking the % option vs forcing a 45 kick etc. So is the red mist (inability to quickly assess but instead panic under perceived or genuine pressure, scoreboard pressure), still a default for some in our group when they feel the heat? If so, is this fixable or is it too ingrained in said players and they are doomed to rinse and repeat! Is the club aware of it? Does it matter or am i beating this up too much? Thoughts..... https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-melbourne-problems-analysis-demons-on-the-couch-garry-lyon-red-mist-bad-kicking-playing-too-fast/news-story/8350ba20fe8a6cdc618b51cae33c412f

Personally i believe those issues are a part of the drop off in cohesion and confidence (especially in kicking skills ....ability to hit up a target). A drop off in confidence also resulting in player's willingness to take the game/opponenent on and instead pass off responsibility asap to someone else LDC. This is where you occasionally need an injection of younger talent being brought into the mix as they tend to have no fear or very little vs some of the more experienced boys. They also come in a little fresher and can bring an energy and attack on the ball (run and carry also) into the group that might be lacking otherwise. They of course can also bring with them inexperience and lack of a match day tank which may impact the team in other ways, especially late into a match when fatigue sets in. I see much of this aspect happening with the likes of Sydney and the Sons at the moment. They are getting great drive from their rookies. Look at the Hawks last week. 10 rookies that had played only 35 games or less. About three or so had only played 3 to 5 matches (if the coverage commentators are to be believed).

And the worst part is Gus was devastated after the game and looking perplexed at what went wrong. Well mate all you need to do is look at the set shot kicking, especially your own, and that will explain much of it. Yes Pate I've already commented on the Clarry incident. And this is another worry. Ever since Macca failed to handball to a screaming free Tracc just outside the square and instead swung around on his right to kick it himself while being tackled (about 4/5 matches ago) the selfless sharing stuff we saw earlier in the season when we were beating all and sundry has slowly ebbed away to virtually zero. Combine the two and it's resulted in a chipping away at unity, cohesion, then belief and ultimately form. If Goody, the FD, Gawny and other leaders aren't aware of this, and on to it by now, we are in deep doggy doo. I'm also not that impressed with the re-entry of Viney so far. For whatever reason, his body language since the return appears to me as an observer, rightly or wrongly, to be bloody awful. Also, we need to decide do we want a plodding / straight ahead mid field to continue with the likes of Viney and AVB both in or do we bring in Melk for AVB to attempt to connect more out of the middle with forwards like Macca, BB and Fritta. And do ANB and Viney hold their spots once (IF) Harmes gets back? Could we bring Harmes in for Viney/ANB if one doesn't hit form (ANB a fair way off lately) and play Harmes in a wing / mid field role with Gus and bring Gus into the middle (say 50%ish) for some decent outside use and connection with the extractors in Tracc & Clarry? Probably very unlikely at this late stage but just a thought. The other very slim chance but worth a look is bringing in Baker for Gus for a few weeks and just see what that gives us on the non-Lingers wing. I understand Baker probably doesn't have the defensive read and intercept capabilities of Gus but what he lacks there he might make up for with a speedier transition into the F50 to give better looks for our key and medium forwards.